Re: Flames and Lily

[smc@gandalf.rutgers.edu (kirke)]

fmcquarr@upei.ca (Fiona McQuarrie) writes:

>It's apparent that a number of people have been badly hurt by various
>interpersonal events, but, please, while I sympathize with all involved,
>I really don't feel that discussion of this sort is even tangentially
>related to the subject of this list (kate Bush, remember)? PLEASE....
>with all due respect....sort it out amongst yourselves. I doubt that
>any resolution is going to be achieved via this forum.

>And as for something that *is* related to Ms. Kate - well, I would love
>to post something about Lily *related to the song*, but I can't really do
>so with any degree of meaningfulness unless I understand what the
>pentagram ritual is. So someone who can fill us in - please explain.

>Cheers, Fiona


	The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram isa magickal rite 
	designed as a protection ritual.  I printed a post that describes
	it; I am re-posting parts of it here.  It is well-done, accessable
	and the person who originally posted it did a good deal of work
	explaining and simplifying aspects of it (rodrigo@vnet.com).

	

	This ritual can be done to purify a room for further ritual work
	or meditation and can be used for protection.  Its effects are
	primarily on the Astral (IMHO) [the astral plane] though it uses the Earth pentagram.  It also promotes a still mind, free of outside influences
	which is useful for meditation.  It is therefore recommended
	that the ritual be used as part of daily meditation work.

	1.  Stand facing East.

	2.  Perform the Qabalistic cross.

		a.  Touch forehead with first two (or index) fingers of right
			hand and visualizing a sphere of white light at that
			point, vibrate [speak while humming the vocal cords]
			: Ateh  (translates roughly as "Thou Art")

		b.  Lower hand to solar plexus and visualize a line extending down to your feet, vibrate: Malkuth (translates as "The Kindgom")

		c.  Raise hand and touch right shoulder visualizing a sphere
			of light there.  Vibrate: Ve Geburah (and the 
			power)

		d.  Extend the hand across the chest tracing a line of light
			and touch the left shoulder where another sphere of
			light forms.  Vibrate:  Ve Gedulah (and the glory()

		e.  Clasp hands in center of chest at crossing point
			of horizontal and vertical lines of light.  Bow
			head and vibrate: Le Olahm, Amen.  (for ever-amen).

	3.  Facing east, using either the extended fingers or a dagger,
		trace a large pentagram (five-pointed star) with the
		point up, starting at your left hip, up to just above
		your forehead, centered on your body, then down to your
		right hip, up and to your left shoulder, across to the
		right shoulder and down to the starting point in front
		of your left hip.  Visualize the pentagram in blue
		flaming light.  Stab your fingers or dagger into the 
		center and vibrate: YHVH (Yod-heh-vahv-heh- which
		is the tetragrammaton translated into Latin as Jehovah).

	4.  Turn to the South.  Visualize that the blue flame follows
		your fingers or dagger, tracing a blue line from the
		east pentagram to the south.  PRepeat step three while
		facing south, except vibrate: Adonai (another name for
		god translated as Lord).

	5.  Turn to the West, tracing the blue flame from south to west.
		Repeat step three, but vibrate:  Eheieh (Eh-hay-yeah
		more or less- another name of God translated as I AM
		or I AM THAT I AM.)

	6.  Turn to the North, again tracing the blue flame from west
		to north.  repeat step three, but vibrate: AGLA (Ah-
		gah-lah - a composite of Ateh Gebor La olahm Amen-
		see step two)

	7.  Return again to the east, tracing the blue flame from
		North to East.Stab the fingers or dagger back into the
		same spot as in step 3.  You should now be visualizing
		that you are surrounded by four flaming pentagrams
		connected by a line of blue fire.

	8.  Extend your arms out to your sides, forming a cross.

		Vibrate (visualizing each archangel standing guard at
		each station):

		Before me RAPHAEL (rah-fah-yaell)

		Behind me GABRIEL  (gah-bree-ell)

		On my right hand, MICHAEL (meekhah-ell)

		On my left hand, AURIEL (sometimes URIEL aw-ree-ell
		or ooh-ree-ell)

		for about me flames the Pentagrams,

		and in the column stands the six-rayed star.

		(Alternatively the last two lines can be:

		before me flames the pentagram,
		behind me shines the six-rayed star)

	9.  Repeat the Qabalistic Cross (step 2)

	As can be seen, Raphael is in the East, Gabriel is in the West,
	Michael in the South and Auriel/Uriel is in the North.

	For more detailed information I refer the reader To:

	-The Practical Qabalah- by Charles Fielding
	-Ceremonial Magic- by Israel Regardie
	-The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic- also by Regardie
	-The Golden Dawn- as well by Regardie

	I hope that helps to explain things to those who were wondering.

	May the Light be extended unto you,

	Rodrigo


This is one of the best and most easily grasped explanations of this ritual
that I have seen (although I am no ceremonial magician).  Kate Bush has
reversed the positions of two of the Archangels, as you can see, and there
has been a raging debate as to why she may have chosen to do this.  Several
magicians have suggested that she may have obtained the ritual from someone
in the Southern hemisphere, while others have noted variations of the ritual
where these changes might be appropriate.

I don't really understand why some people are apparently so uncomfortable
dealing with this data.  It clearly relates to kate Bush, as it has affected
her enough to use it in her own song of protection.  An examination of this
material may shed some insight into her reactions feelings; so why do some
clamor so much about the value of discussing/examining this ritual and thre
potential role of ritual magic in her music/experience?  It seems that every
other aspect of her life is up for discussion.  I'm also curious as to why
some are taking the role of "subject cops"...is this a common reaction on
newsnet boards?  When people are uncomfortable with a topic they try to
pressure others into letting it drop because it is "..too off topic"?

And people actually submit to this?  Amazing.  In real life I find it hard
to imagine that most people would be so easily intimidated by others attempting
to govern what is appropriate for them to discuss.  As a new person, I am surprised every time I see such tactics and the timid, apologetic responses that
they seem to incur. 

Anyway, I hope that Rodrogo Ferres," hard work pays off by explaining the
ritual to whoever wants to examine it.

					Take Care,  kirke

					smc@gandalf.rutgers.edu